Rich And Raw

LOUIS VUITTON OMBRE NOMADE

While creating the range of scents for French luxury house Louis Vuitton, its maître perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud went on the hunt for 100 per cent natural oud - one of the world's most expensive perfume ingredients, with a potent musky scent. Says the fourth-generation perfumer from Grasse: "I wanted 100 per cent natural oud, small production, something exceptional. And it took some two-and-a-half years to find the right one."

This August, the brand will launch the Middle East-influenced Ombre Nomade, made with the best available oud Assam from a sustainable family-run plantation in Bangladesh, giving it a rich, intoxicating fragrance. But the magic of this scent is the addition of raspberry which balances the smoky intensity with an unexpected lightness. If you've ever wondered what "expensive" smells like, this is it.